Filler cap



Feb. 2o, 1934. w H RDFQRD 1,947,797

FILLER CAP Original Filed Feb. 10, 1930 53 E9 38 57 5E* TW, I

INVENTOR A TTORNEYS 25-case breather. y l A further object of my invention is to provide a lfiller c ap which is easily constructed andasf4 Y, 30 for easy renewal atrial.

Pefenied Feb. 2o, 1934l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Y FILLER CAPl William H. Radford, Peoria, Ill., asslgnor to Caterpillar Tractor Co., San Leandroz Calif., s

corporation of California Application February 1o, 1930'. serial'No. 427.390

Renewed August 31, 1932 i A 7 cleans. (01.18349) My invention relates to devicesadapted to be used in connection with currents, such as airl currents, laden with undesired material. In one embodiment, the device of my invention is especially adaptable to a 'filler spout connected to the crank case of an internal combustion engine and is herein disclosed in that environment. In most internal combustion engines there is a continual surging of air and vapors between the inside 'and outside of the crank case during the operation of the engine. Air currents from the' inside ofthe-orankcase usually are laden with oil vapors while air currents passing from, the atmosphere into thev crank' case are often laden 15 with dust particles and other deleterious matter which it is desirable to keep out of the crank case. An object of lmy invention,A therefore, is to provide an attachment'for a filler spout which is capable not only of' confining the oily vapors tothe crank case but also is capable of excludingdust and similar foreign material.

Another object of my invention is to provide a ller'cap which can be applied to 'an ordinary ller spout to convert the filler spout into a crank sembled. A,

` Another object of' my invention is to provide of the lteringlmaterial employed.

Another object of my invention is to provide for Fie. 3 is a cross Fig; 1.-- -4 4 e `In its preferred form, the ller cap of my .invention comprises a container lled with filter- `5c ing material which is adapted to be secured toa standard ller spout and to be moved from aposition covering the spout toanother vposition Y uncovering the spout. f V- f n Since I preferably apply the ller cap of my invention to internal combustion engines,-I.'have so illustrated it in the drawing. As shown in Fig. 1, the crank case 6 of the erigineis formedl `with a ller boss 7 'which ishollow and which communicates with the interior of 'the crankcase.

o9. The boss is preferably formed with an apertured.A

section on-the line' 3-3 of.

flange 8 for the reception of a complementary flange 9 atthe lower end of a-flller spout 11. This spout is secured to the: crank case by studs 12 piercing the flanges 8 and 9. The spout is preferably upwardly flared and is a'hollow conical body terminating in an annular lip 13. During the operation of the engine, atmospheric 'airis .inducted into the crankcase 6 and oily vapors are expelled therefrom usually-alternately and in rapidly recurring cycles,` causing a material flow through the spout.

To prevent the ingress of dust laden air to the' crank case and the egress of oily vapors therefrom, I provide the` filler Acap of my'invention.

This cap preferably includesa lower head 140i annular contour provided with an upwardly extending fange 16 and a depending ange .17 of substantiallyx the same interior bore. To secure the head 14 to the spout 11 so that. it cannotV be misplaced, I preferably provide a tongue 18 ex'- tending from the head 14 and interfitting with a pair of ears 19 projecting from vand usually formed integrally withithe spout 11. A pin 21 pierces the aligned tongue and ears and 'is retainedby cotter pins 22. There is thus afforded a hinged connection between the head 14 and the spout -11'so that the -head can be moved from a position covering the spout-to another position uncovering the spout.

So that the head can be releasably held in a position covering the spout, Iprovidea latch mechanism such as the spring finger 23 secured at its lower end by a pair of screws 24 toa boss .25 formed on the spout 11. At its-upper end, the

finger is curved to over'lie, a boss 26 formed integrally with the head 14 and to provide4 a con- -venient projection 2,7'for manipulation. Seatedv on the head 14 is a cylindrical spacer28 which. at its upper end, carries a second head 29. This head 29 is provided with a peripheral flange 31 andlis pierced byv a plurality of apertures 32'affording access to the atmosphere from the spout 11. Abutting the upper head 31 is a shield 33 provided with a peripheral depending skirt 34 which encompasses the upper portion of the spacer 2'8. l

In order to hold the heads '14 and 29 and the spacer 28 together as a unit, lI provide means suchas a stud or screw 36 passing through the assembly. -The' stud is formed with a head 37.

against -which a lock washer 38 is situated, and

at-its lower end is threaded as'at 39 to engage a threaded central aperture in a spider 41. The spider'includes a plurality of radial arms 42 connecting the central hub of the spider with an annular flanged portion43 which is nested within the head 14. An annular gasket 46 is retained by the flanged spider in position between the head 14 and the vlip 13 of spout,11. Theunitary securing member 36 is thus effective not only to hold the shield' sauna-the head 2s in abutment with the spacer 28 but also to hold the spider 41, the

`moss or a similar pervious body preferably comprising a large number of fibrous structures.

matted or felted together so that Vthere is a relatively free air passage therethrough but so that e'xtraneous particles and undesired materials are entrained or caught.

When fumes from the crankcase 6 pass outwardly through the spout 11 and through the filter unit, any oily vapors which they contain are condensed and entrapped in the filtering materia1'47 providing a wetted surface.. Such oily vapors are thus prevented from escaping to the atmosphere in an undesirable manner, and, furthermore, a subsequent incoming surge of atmospheric air through the filter unit into the crankcase 6 is deprived of A:foreign material, such as dust particles, `by the entraining action of the filtering material 4'?v which is enhanced by the oily or wetted surface of the plurality of fibers making up the ltering material.

Ordinarily the filter unit is in a position as shown in Fig. 1 to close the opening through the spoutA 11, but by releasing-the latch 23 the entire filter unit can be moved about its hinge connection affording a free opening into the filler spout for the introduction of oil, for instance, into the crankcase 6. The filterunit being attached to the spout is not easily misplaced or lost. However, it can easily be removed therefrom by exo5. with said spacer.

traction of pin 21 and further disassembled simply by the -withdrawal of stud -36 either for the renewal of the filtering material 4'? or for inspection and cleaning. The assembly is of simple nature and is economical tomanufacture-and can be added to a standard filler spout such as the one shown in the drawing with a minimum of ex pense and eiort. v

It is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the form of the filler cap shown and described herein, as the invention, as set forth in the following claims may be embodied .in a plurality of forms.

By the term base portion employed in some .of the claims, is-meant the under part of the lter unit which .is adjacent the ller spout and provides thecover for the end of the spacer adjacent said spout. l

I claim: i Y

1. A filler cap for a filler spout comprising a 4flangedannular head, a gasket interposed between said head and said spout, a flanged spider seated on said gasket, a cylindrical spacer seated on said head, a second flanged head having apertures therein and engaging said spacer, a shield overlying said apertures, ltering material within.

said spacer, and a stud engaging said shield and said spider for holding said heads in abutment 2. AV filler cap for a filler spout having any annular lipcomprising a flanged annular head, a gasket interposed between said head and said lip, a fianged spider nested within said head and overlying said gasket, a cylindrical spacer seated on. said head, a second flanged head having apertures therein and engaging said spacer, a shield overlying said apertures, a skirt on said shield encompassing said spacer, a stud engaging said shield and said spider for holding saidheads in abutment with said spacer, and filtering material within said spacer.

3.A A filler cap for a filler spout comprising a base portion to lie over the spout, a tubular spacer seated on said base portion, a head having an aperture therein and engaging the spacer, a vshield overlying the apertured head, filtering material within the spacer, and a member engaging said shield and said base portion for holding said head and base portions in abutment with said spacer.

4. A fitting for an oil flller'of an engine crankcase comprising spaced covering means having apertures therein for entrance and exit of the fluid passing therethrough to be filtered, a tubular spacer between said covering means providing an outer casing, filtering material in said spacer between said covering means for filtering the fluid, a shield adjacent one of said covering means for preventing entry of large particles of deleterious matter with the fluid, the central portion of said shield engaging said one of said covering means, and means for detachably connecting said shield, said covering means, and said tube as a unitary assembly including a member passing therethrough.

5. A fitting for an oil ller of an engine crankcase comprising a base portion, a tubular spacer having one end fitting within said base portion, a top member having a portion fitting-within said spacer at'the other end thereof, filtering material within said spacer, and unitary means for detachably securing said base portion, said spacer, and said top member together as a unit.

6. A fitting for an oil filler of an engine crankcase comprisinga base portion, said base portion having a central threaded aperture, a tubular spacer having one end fitting within said bas portion, a top member having a portion fitting within said spacer at the other end thereof, filtering material within said spacer, and unitary means for detachably securing said base portion, said spacer, and said top member together as a unit, comprising a screw extending through said base, said spacer, and said top member and having threaded engagement with said central threaded aperture of said base portion.

7. Avfitting for an oil filler of an engine crankcase comprising a head member, a base portion spaced from said membensaid portion and said` member having apertures therein for entrance and exit of the fiuid passing therethrough to be filtered, a tubular spacer between said head member and said base portion providing an outer cas-- ing, filtering material in said spacer between said heads for filtering the fluid, a Vshield adjacent .said head member for preventing entry of large WILLIAM H. RADFORD. 

